NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 3, 2026

Carol Zhao

Press Conference

M. LINETTE/C. Zhao

4-6, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Carol, hard-fought match today. Just maybe some of your initial thoughts.

CAROL ZHAO: Thank you. Yeah, still processing, obviously very fresh. Would have loved to get the win, obviously, but it was a great experience, great atmosphere out there, so couldn't really ask for more for my last NBO.

THE MODERATOR: Okay, questions, please.

Q. Congratulations on all you've accomplished in your career, and especially what you've done for Canada over the years. Wondering if you can just share a little bit about why now is the time to retire, and what you plan on doing in the next chapter of your life?

CAROL ZHAO: Yeah, I mean, candidly, I still love playing tennis, I think that's evident out there today. So, yeah, there's no love lost there.

I think we all know it's a very demanding profession, not only physically, mentally, but also in terms of your life-style, in terms of all of the choices of your life are in service of your performance in some way. I think I'm just getting to a point in my life where it's not super compatible any more.

There's other things I would like to pursue and accomplish outside of tennis, like spend time with my family. Yeah, so that's a long-winded answer to your question, yeah, but yeah.

Q. By my count this was your 15th time playing at this tournament. Wondering how you reflect on just being part of this and being on the national stage every summer?

CAROL ZHAO: Yeah, it's just, I'm very grateful, a lot of appreciation. It really did feel like a blink of an eye, 15 years.

I grew up playing here. I used to come every year as a fan from when I was like 7, 8 years old.

Then I played here for the first time as a wildcard, I think when I was 15, against Begu. That was like my first official WTA match.

It's given me all the experience in the world, so very grateful and very proud to have represented Canada on this stage.

Q. You had a big crowd behind you out there on the grandstand. How did that atmosphere and having the Canadian fans really cheering for you, especially in that third set as you were clawing back, just make the moment extra special?

CAROL ZHAO: Yeah, it meant everything. I think as a player, like I was saying, it's everything. You want to be in those sort of atmosphere.

Of course, you want to also stay in the moment, you don't want to look around too much. So it's a balancing of me being conscious that it's my last time and wanting to soak it all in, and then also actively trying to win the match.

So, yeah, I tried to take it in as much as I could, and I'm just really appreciative of everybody that came out today.

Q. Wondering what went through your mind during the match, and did the occasion of it all almost serve as a motivator to keep going through those hard-fought moments in the match, and try to hopefully get the win?

CAROL ZHAO: Yeah, I mean, it was definitely a roller coaster of emotions.

After the first set I felt actually a lot of pain in my arm, that was something I was struggling with throughout the second and third, so it was a little bit distracting. But I tried to fight the hardest that I could, given the situation. Yeah, just happy that we put on a good show.

Q. Of those 15 times that you've played the tournament, both here and in Montreal, are there a couple of matches or moments that stand out to you as you look back on what you've done?

CAROL ZHAO: Yeah, I mean, this one was special, for sure.

Last year I think I played Jacquemot on center court in Montreal, that was a good one.

Then the few times I qualified here, I remember the first time I think I was only like 16, maybe 17 or something like that.

Yeah, so it's just, it's really accompanied me through many stages of my life, and yeah, just very grateful.

Q. Are you playing any other tournaments this year? What's the plan beyond this one if so?

CAROL ZHAO: Yeah, the plan tentatively is to play out the rest of my protected rankings. I'll be playing I think at least three more events, so looking forward to that. Yeah, just finishing strong.

Q. Do you know which events those are going to be?

CAROL ZHAO: I think I'm looking at Asian swing, perhaps Seoul, maybe Beijing, some of those, yeah.